Friends Ask-What Changed Charles Watson?
From Athlete To Murder Suspect
December 5, 1969
Los Angeles Times
By David Larsen
Times Staff Writer
When Charles Denton Watson returned home to Texas in October, people
commented on how different he was.
His hair was so long. His mouth hung open. He seemed so detached.
What had happened to the crew cut boy they all remembered as a star on the
Farmersville football team, the cheerful lad who had been voted most versatile
student at the school six years ago?
And why, they asked now, is the 24-year-old Watson accused of being involved
in the Sharon Tate murders?
Charles Watson was the last of three children born to Mr. And Mrs. C. D.
Watson, who operate a service station and general store in Copeville, a town of
about 150 residents 25 miles North east of Dallas.
The Watson's, a devout couple, were proud of their youngest son. The
neighbors talked about what a good boy he was. At high school he never made a
grade below "B".
The 6-foot-2 youth excelled in athletics. He was half back on the football
team, and was named all district during his junior and senior years. He played
on the baseball team. In track, he set a record in high hurdles that still
stands at class A high schools in Texas.
He participated in school activities. One of his functions was sports editor
of the yearbook.
Upon graduation he enrolled at North Texas State University in Denton, where
he majored in business management. He was a "C" student there.
During that period, he had one minor brush with the law. He was picked up on
suspicion of stealing typewriters from his former high school, but the grand
jury dropped the matter.
After three years at the University, Watson became restless. When school let
out in the spring of 1967, he moved to California.
Watson enrolled at Cal State L.A. as a major in business administration, and
moved into an apartment at 2365 Glendale Boulevard.
Jay Scott remembers the first time he met Watson in Los Angeles. Scott was
accompanied at the time by a girl of Watson's age. "Charles stood up when he met
her and called her 'ma’am.' "
Watson's years in Los Angeles were recall by Scott during an interview on the
Baxter Ward News on KHJ-TV.
"Charles had a warm and very outgoing personality," said his friend. "When he
came here he had a good job. He was making good money. He had at least a
thousand dollars worth of new clothes."
Watson lasted only one quarter at Cal State L.A. His life was changing.
"He met people who were involved in the drug scene," Scott recalled.
Scott lost track of his friend for about five months. The next time he met
him, something had happened, he said.
"He had hair down to here, and there had been a definite change," Scott
continued.
"This nice guy who came out here became someone else, a completely different
personality. He was almost incoherent at times. He had very little communication
with anyone he previously knew or anyone, I guess, in the so-called straight
world."
The friend said that Watson spent a lot of time with some type of guru. He
talked about him constantly. He also began associating with a rock-singing
group.
Somewhere along the line, according to authorities, he joined a band of
roving hippies.
About six weeks ago he returned home to Copeville. People commented on how
quiet he was, as if he had something on his mind.
